BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???

Subject: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:04 PM

It should be 'neutral'....between 6.8 and 7.2....it's WELL over 8....bright red on the test strip....Mr Google not much help. I have added pond salts and some De Clor....still way high...

What next???? (good thing I'm not emotionally attached to my fish)

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:18 PM

How big is the pond Sorcha?

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:24 PM

Sorch, try www.eponds.com. From what I read, your readings are a little high but depending on what time of day you tested, you may be fine. I also found a site with suggestions as to how to lower the pH, read it and see what you think. Help For Your Fishies

Good luck!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:28 PM

Also is it lined? If the water is in contact with the native soil and the soil is alkaline to begin with, there's not much you can do except as a temporary measure. Apart from lining it, that is.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:35 PM

The link I posted discusses the liner situation/and or brick/concrete base which can create problems of it's own. Just out of curiousity, what kind of fish do you have? How long have you had them? Did you make your own pond or was it professionally done? If you paid someone to do it, they should know what to do about your situation and so should the folks where you bought your fish from....I think the fish folks would be your best bet...give them a call!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:40 PM

Sorry Michelle, that's what I get when I wander off and do things in the middle of calling up a thread. I miss other's posts in the interim.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: LilyFestre
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 11:46 PM

:) No problem at all...happens to the best of us!

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 12:27 AM

The reason I asked the size is that I have 3 large 1/2 wine barrels at my front door where I have been keeping goldfish for the past 3 years. Whenever the pH gets out of whack or the nitrogen levels get a little out of the control of my water plants in the summer, I bail them down by about a 1/3 and add fresh water. I also rinse off the roots of the floating plants too with fresh water at the time.

I probably wouldn't have to do that, if I was a bit more careful regarding the quantity of food I give the goldfish, but a couple of the fish have become my buddies and they beg whenever I pass by. Never give goldfish names, they start developing personalities with which you can become quite attached. Initially I just plunked a few 35 cent feeder fish in the tubs for mosquito control, but now they have become more the point of interest for me than the damned plants.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 12:37 AM

How big have your goldfish gotten, Metch?

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 12:41 AM

They're about 4 inches long now.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: The Walrus
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 12:48 AM

A simple solution might be to set up a pump and continuously bubble air through the water.
Carbon dioxide in the air can easily bring down the pH of Distilled water (start at pH 7, if allowed to fall any distance into a container and left to stand may go as low as pH 5.6*)
The CO2 bubbled through the pond may help to moderate the pH in your case (just remember that pH is a logrithmic scale)

Good luck.

W


* Experience of filling 100+ litre holding tanks linked directly to a double still

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 09:24 AM

Pond is black polyethelen (semi rigid) plastic, with fountain/recirculator...right now I have NO fish, they keep dying. Just plain old goldfish....Had 4 about 4" long that lived for 2 yrs, then died. Have bought about 25 fish this summer and they all died.

Fish store person here has had some bad lots but this is ridiculous. I tested pH in mid evening and it didn't go down even after adding pond salts and DeChlor. My tap water has enough chlorine in it to kill fish so I have to use DeChlor.

Actually, I was naming my fish but they kept dying and I ran out of names. Besides, how do you name 20 feeders?

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 11:16 AM

How big is the pond Sorch? Is it something that you can bail down a bit? Is the fountain made of concrete that could leach lime? What is the pH of the water you used to fill it with in the first place? How high does the water temperature get? Do the fish have some area of shade they can retreat to in the heat of the day? Is the water you use chlorinated?

I killed some of mine the first year too because I cooked the poor little buggers when the water got too warm and I hadn't provided them with any shade. Also each of my tubs contain about 35 gallons of water and only will support 2-3 fish per tub. How many gallons of water are in your pond?

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 11:17 AM

Missed the chlorine part.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 11:32 AM

I would think the chlorine should not be a problem if you let the pond recirculate for a couple of days before putting any fish in the pond. The chlorine should dissipate on its own and disappear.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 03:40 PM

Exactly, Mets....and it's about 30 US gallons. On my way to the fish store now...

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 05:10 PM

She ordered some stuff called pH OUT! Be in Friday.

Subject: RE: BS: Lower pH in an outdoor fishpond???
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Aug 06 - 06:22 PM

Exactly what Sorcha?

Does it have shade? What is the temperature of the water? If it has shade in some portion and the water temperature isn't getting much above about 86F and there are no great temperature fluctuations, 2-3 fish in 30 gallons of water should probably be a maximum.

Otherwise, given heat, the amount of nitrogen even 2-3 goldfish will produce and if you don't add fresh water occasionally or do a complete change of water, or get into filters too, you aren't going to have an outdoor fishpond, you are going to make bouillabaisse like I did.